Fateful night
by aprilgirl01
Summary: The night that was the worst in Remus's night... then the best. "We know you're a werewolf, Remus."


A/N: Hi guys! I know there are a lot of these stories out there, but I had to write! Enjoy and review!

*I don't own anything in HP *

Fateful Night

Slam! Remus Lupin shut the book with force and put his head in his hands. He still had to finish his herbology essay, but he couldn't focus. The second year put his fingers to his temples- something he always did when he was stressed or thinking too much- and thought about what lie he would be telling his- dare he call them friends- in just three days time. Remus knew that all kids lied sometimes. Sirius would insist he hadn't taken James's chocolate frog, Peter would mumble some excuse as to why he didn't want to help the other Marauders in a prank that would most likely get them in detention. Lying was, Remus thought, just part of being a kid. But Remus's lies were much graver than those of pranks or chocolate frogs.

Remus reached into his bag and pulled out the list that he had compiled of all the excuses he had given for being MIA once a month.

First Year

Sept: Ill mother

Oct: Stomach virus

Nov: Funeral of (nonexistent) aunt

Dec: Flu (there was actually a flue going around, so it had worked perfectly)

Jan: Was in the library all night and skipped classes next day to sleep (they almost hadn't believed him there)

Feb: Ill mother

Mar: Detention (all night)

Apr: Migraine

May: Thrown up

June: Ill mother

Now, for the first full moon of the new school year, Remus had to think of something clever. He had pulled the "my mother is chronically ill" card too many times last year, along with the "I stayed up all night puking my guts out" one. He rubbed his eyes. This late at night, the common room was deserted- everyone but the young werewolf had gone to bed. Oh, how Remus wished that he could be up there with them, not a care in the world except for the essay he had yet to write for herbology.

_Creak_. Remus whipped his list into the pocket of his cloak. Then he turned around, his heart jumping into his throat. Someone was coming down the stairs.

He needn't have worried, for he spotted a familiar tuft of messy black hair, and relaxed- sort of.

"Sirius! James! Peter! Gosh, you guys gave me a heart attack."

Peter looked apologetic, while Sirius and James laughed. "S…Sorry," James apologized in between chuckles, "couldn't resist. Anyway, we couldn't sleep."

Remus was seized with a sudden fear. What if they had seen the list? What would happen? He swallowed and said, "I'm just trying to do my essay with some peace and quiet. Believe it or not, that's hard to get with you lot."

Peter laughed at that one, until Sirius swatted him upside the head. "Oy!"

Remus forced a chuckle, and James's face morphed into something more serious. "Anyway," the latter continued, "we- Peter, Sirius and I- have something we want to talk to you about. But we can wait until the two of them stop being prats."

Sirius, who had put Peter in a headlock, stopped sheepishly and slowly released the smaller boy. "Sorry James. Anyway- Remus." He locked eyes with Remus, who waited for the others to speak.

It was James who started. "Remus. We have something to say, and we need you to listen. Okay?"

Remus nodded numbly. He felt it in his bones. He imagined James opening his mouth to inform Remus that he was disgusted to even look at him, the dark creature-

"Hello? Earth to Remus?" Sirius snapped his fingers in front of Remus's face. Sirius was being so nice, Remus mused, why?

"Okay." Sirius continued, biting his lip, "Remus, this has to stop. We're not stupid."

_Play dumb_, Remus told himself, _play dumb_. "W- What do you mean?"

Sirius raised an eyebrow. "You had us fooled for a while, man. But going missing every month without fail, during the full moon nonetheless, isn't something you can hide forever.

Ice rushed through Remus's veins. He was trying not to cry.

Peter spoke up. "Remus, we…" he trailed off. James finished his sentence.

"We know you're a werewolf, Remus."

The boy werewolf knew he had promised to hear the others out, but all he could hear was blood pounding in his ears, a necessity to get out, get away before they could hurt him. He barely felt himself get up, knocking over the table and spilling his ink pot on Peter in the process, as he swung open the Fat Lady's portrait, and fled down the halls. He vaguely heard the Fat Lady calling after him "Hey!" but Remus didn't slow down. His heart was racing as he ran down the hallways, the faint pounding of feet behind him.

Somehow, Remus wasn't intercepted by student, teacher, or ghost and he fled. Eventually, out of breath with his heart racing, Remus curled up in a small alcove that was partially concealed behind a suit of armor. Far off in the distance, he heard a voice say, "I think he went that way. Let's go."

Fear flickered inside of Remus. It wouldn't be enough for the other marauders to stop being friends with Remus, they were following him, probably coming to finish him off. James and Sirius came from old pureblood families, where the prejudice against werewolves runs deep. No way would they understand. And Peter… Peter just did what the others told him to do, he would turn his back on Remus as soon as the others said to do so.

Remus knew pain. He felt it every month, as his bones stretched and shattered, as he woke up with deep claw marks he didn't remember making. But this pain was different. Remus ached. He ached because he knew what friendship was now, he had experienced the joy of being part of a group, and to go back to the solitude he had had, that was pain. Remus was so busy in his own thoughts that he didn't hear the Marauders until a voice spoke right above him.

"Well, well," Sirius drawled, "James, I think we've found ourselves a werewolf."

The tone in Sirius's voice did nothing but confirm Remus's suspicions. They wouldn't accept him; they might even hate him.

James stepped forward, and the werewolf shrank back, fear flickering in his mind. He had been bullied by the other wizard boys in his town for his ailment, and he was scared.

James swatted Sirius upside the head reproachfully. "Sirius! Stop scaring him!"

Remus was confused. Why did James care?

James knelt down until he was eye level with Remus. The latter's breaths came out shaky. Actually, his whole body was shaking.

"Remus," James continued, "What's going on? You look like you're having a heart attack."

Remus whispered, "You guys know now. Just… let me be, and I'll talk to Professor Dumbledore about changing dorms. Ok? Just… stay away from me."

At that, Sirius's brow contracted. "Remus, pal, we don't want you to change dorms! When did we give you that notion?"

Remus was just as confused as Sirius looked. "Now you know I'm… a monster. Your parents won't want you being anywhere near a dark creature like me."

Sirius raised an eyebrow. "Remus, when have I ever cared about what my parents want?"

Remus was about to say something, when James rolled his eyes. "Sirius, you're missing the point. Like always," he added with a small grin. Sirius put his hand over his heart as if insulted. James ignored him. His face turned hard as he turned back to Remus. "Remus," he spoke sharply, "If I ever hear you call yourself a monster, or a dark creature or anything like that ever again, I don't know what I'll do."

It was all Remus could do to muster a "But I am a monster."

Sirius looked serious (**sorry for the pun**) now. "No, you're not. I don't think you're a monster, neither do James nor Peter. You're a marauder. You're our friend."

Remus, just understanding what Sirius was saying, blinked hard. "So… you don't mind? You know what I am, and you still want to be friends?" It was almost too much to believe.

James smacked both palms to his forehead. "Yes! That's what we're trying to tell you, but you're so much of a prat that you wouldn't listen!"

Remus reproachfully yelped, "Hey! I'm not a prat! It's just…"

"Just what?" James was serious again. "Come on, tell us."

He sucked in a sharp breath. "Nobody has wanted to be my friend since I was eight years old. Everyone else thinks I'm a monster, so I couldn't imagine why you wouldn't think so to."

James had an odd gleam in his eyes. "Remus, if anybody calls you a monster ever again, they're going to have to answer to the Marauders."

Then everything was quiet. Remus let out a breath he didn't know he was holding in. he pinched himself to make sure he wasn't dreaming. Peter looked as if he was about to say something, when a loud _"meow"_ came from behind him. James spun sharply around, and tensed.

"It's Mrs. Norris. Come on Remus, I forgot, we're out late."

The boy extended a hand to Remus, who grabbed it and felt himself being pulled up. For a brief moment, he forgot about Mrs. Norris, and smiled. Then the other three took off running towards the Gryffindor common room, and Remus had to sprint to keep up.

They reached the portrait, and it took all four of them together screaming "Erecto!" to wake the Fat Lady, just enough so that she mumbled

"Enter." And swung open the door. The boys scrambled through it, and collapsed in the chairs in the common room, out of breath.

Peter broke the silence. "Remus?"

"Yeah?"

"Isn't the full moon in a few days?"

Remus groaned. "Yeah."

"Oh."

Sirius jumped up, a mad glint in his eyes. "Remus, I hereby dub thee…. Moony!"

Remus felt heat rising to his face. "Shut up, Sirius."

But it was too late. The name stuck.

"Guys, we need to go to bed. It must be past midnight."

Okay, Moony. Let's go."

"Shut up, James."

Remus lay in his bed, thinking about the upcoming full moon. It would hurt, and he would feel terrible, but he would never have to lie to his friends about it again. Honestly? Remus didn't know if he could stop thinking of himself as a monster, as he had thought of himself for four years, but maybe, just maybe, friends would help. Remus looked out of his window at the moon, and, for the first times since he was eight, saw something that could be beautiful.

That's it! If you like this, or even if you don't, please review and let me know! Constructive criticism is always appreciated.

Also, if you like this, read my oneshot Fathoms Of a Man, about Remus in his last moments.

Thanks for reading!


End file.
